The Honda S2000 was a blur, Cassandra guided her roadster along the highway with skill and a smile. Headlamps illuminating the way, the road ahead looked clear of hazard.

Buoyed by the success of a few nights away in San Francisco Cassandra felt only minor need to sulk now on how things had gone at the recent Covenant meeting.

Sure, it went badly, but...well, I'll talk to the Prince...Jeepers, I'll even say I'm sorry...

Cassandra made a mental list of those to apologise to.

I'll really get the gallery going now...a lot to do though...

Cassandra thought back to when she was 19. Her first day on set. Her lines memorised. The nerves lasted only a moment. The studio lamps had vanquished the butterflies. Somehow, she realised, that was the right place to be. Right there...but, there was a script...

The director had smiled an encouraging smile. The lines came easy. Her smile had dazzled, her figure had beguiled.

Only, that time the lines hadn't come easy...she'd missed her cue...fluffed the prompting and ruined her performance. It wasn't a rehearsal: and the director had shared no indulgent smile.

This, she realised, was Take Two...a scene I must get right! Extemporise: I must - I will get it right!

Her roadster topped 130 mph. The orange urban glow of Sacramento now on the horizon.

Lights, cam...ah, she knew the rest.